Retirement can be one of the greatest times of our lives, and making smart decisions about how and where to spend those years can make all the difference in the world. You want to retire somewhere safe, somewhere lovely … plus, wherever you choose needs to have solid healthcare options and, perhaps most importantly, a cost of living that you can afford.
(Photo Credit: Club Joe/Flickr)
Recently, WalletHub considered these factors and more and did some legwork for us, generating a list of the best and worst cities to retire. (Curious about how these compare to your current city? Use PayScale’s Cost of Living Calculator to see how they stack up.)
Let’s take a look at the four best cities to retire, according to WalletHub’s findings.
1. Tampa, Florida.
Based upon WalletHub’s methodology, Tampa, Florida is the single best city for retirees. Affordability is the stat that stands out the most. Tampa came in 11th in affordability rank out of the 150 cities profiled. This rank is based upon adjusted cost of living, taxpayer ranking, and annual cost of in-home services. Tampa also scored in the top 30 cities in every other area measured, giving it a strong all-around endorsement as the single best city to retire.
Scottsdale, Arizona ranked very high (2nd out of 150) in quality-of-life rank. This score is based upon factors such as crime rate, air and water quality, and percentage of the population over the age of 65. Scottsdale is clearly a popular place to retire. In fact, several cities in Arizona made the list; Peoria was 10th, Mesa 21st, and Tucson was 29th, just to name a few. Arizona could be a great state to consider spending your retirement.
3. Boise, Idaho.
Boise, Idaho had all-around strong scores. It’s affordable, offers a high quality of life, good healthcare, and also supports a lot of activities that retirees might enjoy. Good hiking, fishing, golf courses, etc. – activities rank 27th out of 150 – help to set the backdrop for a retirement full of happiness, health, and fun.
Cape Coral might not be the most affordable city on the list (ranked 83rd out of 150) but it has a tremendous amount to offer retirees just the same. It ranked 3rd out of 150 in both activities rank and quality-of-life rank. As long as you can afford it, Cape Coral, Florida could be a wonderful place to retire.
For more information, be sure to check out the complete list of best and worst cities to retire from WalletHub.
Tell Us What You Think
Have you retired to one of the cities on this list? Do you agree with the rankings? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
Boise is AWESOME